Bascule bridge

is it a old Lionel Bascule bridge or a mth electronic Bascule bridge!makes a big difference what it can be!let me know and I'll try to help you

Alan

It is an old Lionel 313 bascule bridge

Does it trigger itself when the trains are running?let me know,i think i know what the problem is. try it first with the push button your using to activate it and disconnect the wires.let me know if it still activates itself.

If it does not activate itself then you push button is to the problem probably to sensitive .other wise let me know i no what the other probably will be>

Alan

P.S. where do you live im in new jersey

 

the bascule bridge opens only occasionally on its own. It does not do it on a regular basis. It can do it when I am running the trains or not.  It does not do it when I do not have the accessory transformer powered.

Just to put another twist into this problem; about a year ago I installed a Lionel Gateman and used an accessory activator pack with insulated track fairly close to the bridge.  Frequently, but not always, when a train passed the Gateman the bridge would open spontaneously.  When I took away the insulated track, the problem seemed to be resolved, only to come back again even without the insulated track

I will try disconnecting the wires to the switch; but again the problem is very intermittant

Try just powering up the accessory transformer and hit the plat form with your hand near the Bascule bridge, i believe it will activate. i believe your problem to be the switch inside the bridge, there is a motor assembly with contact switch on it there is a contact that energizes the bridge ounce you hit the push switch on the motor drum assembly, it keeps the bridge running ounce you have started the bridge. if the switch contacts are to close on the drum switch any slight vibration on the platform will trigger the bridge for another cycle. do you understand? if i remember right you can take the roof off of the house and the motor and mechanism is inside. if not look for a motor drum assembly with contact copper contacts Alan mancus

I tried banging on the platform next to the bridge, but the bridge did not open even after 5 or 6 hard bangs on the platform and on the track

There is a housing on the other side of the bridge from the house that has several screws that I had to adjust when I installed the bride in order to stop the grinding noise when I operated the bridge. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. It took a while to get the right turn of the screws to stop the grinding noise.  Maybe this is affecting the sensitivity of the bridge

trainrat, back in the early '90's, I had both the pre-war and post-war versions of the 313.  They were damaged during a move from Chicago to Atlanta.  The bridges were repaired by the late Richard J. Luppold, who also supplied "Repair Instructions" for the bridges.  I'll scan and post the two typewritten pages he prepared on servicing the 313.  One interesting aspect of his instructions is to remove the bridge tender's house and using "TV tuner spray or equivalent" to clean the leaf switch that operates the bridge.  

 

I should have the instructions scanned and posted later today.  

Thank you; I really appreciate your input and your efforts

maybe when you tightened the screw so tight it warped the motor cam mechanism, ill take some pictures of my bridges and post them for you to look at OK. i have tow different Bascule bridges , i know there were different versions coming from the old Lionel that were built.

sincerely hope i can help you,!

ounce you push the control but the bridge should go up and back down and then the sequence switch on the drum should shut off the bridge. in fact if you push the push button to quickly it will start and stop right away, that's because the sensing switch I'm talking about has to make up so the drum motor will run for 360 degrees to make the bridge go up and down one time, hope you understand?

Alan

P.S. let me know how you make out

I will try to un-tighten the screw, but I am afraid the motor will start grinding again when I open and close the bridge

I'll see

trainrat, the Luppold service and repair information is in this thread.

Is the bridge just popping up a little on it's own or does the motor kick in??

Is your bridge one if the early versions based on the prewar design or postwar. Does it use gears or flexible spring drive.

I have rebuilt one of the earliest versions. The best in my humble opinion. 
There is a simple yet effective multi contact rotary leaf switch.

I think the key is the insulated track. You may have a unique situation where a combination of the insulated trigger, is sending current to the lift motor and acting as a momentary switch. Once it travels a certain point it will energize and continue untill it cycles. I do not know about the spring drive but the gear lift will not "pop" up without power. I would isolate from other accesories and see if the problem continues.  If intermittent, I would examine the switch. Good luck. I have completely dissembles mine, cleaned, and lubricated and also weathered. Works flawlessly. Replace the incandescents with flashing red light light on the new ones. Only thing I like about them but the gear on the new one is actually more realistic.

In answer to the question of whether the motor kicks in when it goes up...I can't be sure at this time. I will have to wait till it occurs again, which might not be for some time.

As for the insulated track; as I said before, it seemed that when I removed the insulated track, the problem was fixed; but then recently the bridge opened spontaneously again without the track